Schedule a pre-application meeting

Talk with City staff from the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) and the Fire Department before you submit.

The Planning Department offers a different pre-application meeting. See the process and requirements for a Planning pre-application meeting.

You only need to include the Fire Department if you are building 3 units or more.

The meeting gives you a chance to ask questions before you submit your permit application.

Pre-application meetings are helpful if your project is particularly complex or you are unsure of your building permit code interpretation.

Include:

• 
A set of schematic drawings, describing existing conditions and the proposed project
• Your list of specific code-related questions

You will get notes and our agreements in writing. Attach these to your building permit application.

Our decisions in the pre-application meeting are binding. When you apply for your building permit, we will use that agreement to measure your project’s compliance.

For a 2-hour meeting

Department of Building Inspection (DBI) 

• Building review: $478 (mandatory)
• Mechanical review: $478
• Electrical review: $478
• If the meeting goes over 2 hours, DBI charges $239 per hour or fraction thereof

Fire (if review is required)

• Initial fee: $596
• Additional charges may apply at a rate of $149 per hour for research time prior to the meeting